Couple of things interesting here. Paulie leads the team in walks (tied with SPods) which would suggest that he isn't seeing a lot of strikes coming his way. In addition, he also leads the team in strikeouts. While I don't know how many of these are swinging strikeouts; I'd be pretty confident to bet alot of them are. Lastly, his .451 slugging is second among starters on his team (behind free swinging Uribe), so when he is hitting the ball, though infequent right now, he's hitting the ball out of the park. He is also tied with Everett for the team lead in RBI's, so he is also driving in a lot of runs.

Hmm, Does Paulie need to follow the Big Hurt's lead and start laying off pitches until he sees something he can drive? Me thinks so. I know this is probably a little harder than it sounds (particularly when you want to help the team) and I know he isn't the greatest threat on the basebaths, but if he gets on base, and allows his teammates to take more of an onus in driving him in, he may start seeing more fastballs over the plate later down the line. Furthermore, Paulie's high strikeout total most likely is a result of him swinging at stuff out of the zone.

Can we afford Paulie walking and clogging up the basebaths if there is no one behind him to drive him in? What do you think?

Sox of White

05-13-2005, 02:42 PM

Can we afford Paulie walking and clogging up the basebaths if there is no one behind him to drive him in? What do you think?

Any baserunner, no matter how much they may "clog" the basepaths, is better than an out.

brewcrew/chisox

05-13-2005, 02:52 PM

I agree, which is why i think he probably needs to walk more. Big Frank has made a living off of this philosophy for the past few years. Patience patience patience and the pitches will come.

MIgrenade

05-13-2005, 02:56 PM

Konerko isn't seeing anything because he isn't backed up by anyone who is hitting consistently. Taking his walks is fine but I think he should start zoning in on first pitch where he seems to get a lot of straight fastballs cuz he never swings. My problem with his walks is he doesn't battle for them like some other guys do. A lot of times he just doesn't take the bat off the shoulder and gets walked.

Ol' No. 2

05-13-2005, 02:57 PM

What he needs is someone hitting behind him that might actually get a hit once a week. Move Everett to #5 and Rowand to #3.

Palpidious

05-13-2005, 02:59 PM

i see pk's problem is TRYING to hit home runs and yank any pitch to left field. remember how many home runs he hit to right field last year? how many does he have this year? none.

maurice

05-13-2005, 03:01 PM

I think he's getting enough pitches to hit, but his timing is off. When this happens, he gets around late and strikes out or pops up; or he gets around early and pulls a screaming line drive foul or grounds to the left side (including GiDPs). When his timing has been on this year, he pulls the ball into the LF stands or hits a line-drive single.

Ol' No. 2

05-13-2005, 03:05 PM

I think he's getting enough pitches to hit, but his timing is off. When this happens, he gets around late and strikes out or pops up; or he gets around early and pulls a screaming line drive foul or grounds to the left side (including GiDPs). When his timing has been on this year, he pulls the ball into the LF stands or hits a line-drive single.But how much of the bad timing is because they've been throwing him junk? He's always been a good fastball hitter, but I doubt he's seen a fastball in the last week.

Jjav829

05-13-2005, 03:10 PM

It's definitely part of the reason he isn't hitting as much. He's walked 20 times already and is on pace to walk 93 times, blowing away his career high of 69 from last year. I wouldn't mind seeing Paulie moved up to the #3 spot until Frank gets back. He'd certainly see more fastballs with Pods and Gooch on base in front of him. Hopefully that would help him get back on track before Frank returns. All hitters need confidence, but as we've seen, Paulie is one of the hitters on this team that relies most on confidence. A nice week or two from the #3 hole could completely turn around his season.

Infallible

05-13-2005, 03:26 PM

He's seeing the strikes, unfortunately he watches two of them go by before he attempts to swing. At that point he's making garbage contact on garbage pitches. Last night the first pitch to him was a strike each time he was up. Its been that way for awhile. PK needs to pull his head out and get into the game.

BTW anyone think that PK is looking a little thin? The wife mentioned it that his uniform is hanging off him.

PorkChopExpress

05-13-2005, 03:29 PM

i see pk's problem is TRYING to hit home runs and yank any pitch to left field. remember how many home runs he hit to right field last year? how many does he have this year? none.

Actually, he hit one to right at Jacobs Field this year, into the wind.

PK's problem is the same as always, he gets in a funk, and then he puts too much pressure on himself to get out of it, and digs himself into a deeper hole. It happens to a lot of ballplayers, and he'll come out of it. The only question is how soon.

MIgrenade

05-13-2005, 03:55 PM

Actually, he hit one to right at Jacobs Field this year, into the wind.

PK's problem is the same as always, he gets in a funk, and then he puts too much pressure on himself to get out of it, and digs himself into a deeper hole. It happens to a lot of ballplayers, and he'll come out of it. The only question is how soon.

And unlike most players, it may take him the hole first half of the season.